Cotton and kapok bat for upholstery



Patented then 231, 1926.

LIE-O MANN, OF CENTRAL FALLS, R-HODE ISLAND.

COTTON AND KAPOK BAT FOR UPHOLSIERY.

No Drawing.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel bat or feltsuitable for use as a filling for mattresses, upholstery, etc., andhaving the characteristic of being light in weight and resistant topacking notwithstanding repeated use of the mattress or upholstery. Thepacking of the fibre is a characteristic of cotton filler mattresses,the fibres moving into hard packed sections where subjected to repeatedpressure at separated points. A further object is to provide a hat orfelt for the stated purposes which, in addition to its lightness andspringy characteristics, shall be substan tially resistant to moistureabsorption and which also shall be substantially vermin proof.

In my bat or felt I employ kapok as one of the primary constituents.I-Ieretofore kapok has not been successfuly used as a filling formattresses, or for other articles subjected to repeated pressure,because the fibres of kapok, while initially very soft and springy,gradually lose these desirable qualities when used in the mass, due tothe fact that the fibres disintegrate.

I have discovered, however, that kapok may be so combined with cotton asto form a compound which possesses the desirable features of kapok andwhich at the same time does not possess the fault which has rendered itsuse unsatisfactory, that is to say its destruction due to inherentweakness and brittleness, when subjected to substantial wear.

In the production of my improved bat or felt, I so treat kapok andcotton fibres that the cotton fibres are caused to surround the kapokfibres. As an example, I take equal quantities of prime Japara kapok andhigh grade linter (the first cut from the delinted cotton seed). I thenfree each of the ingredients from dust, chafi', seeds, etc., by passingthe same separately through a willower or duster. I then roughly mix thekapok and linters, this mixing operation being done by hand or machineas desired. I then pass the mixed fibres through a blend ing machine.For this purpose a willower will sufice.

Application filed July 23, 1925.

Serial No. 415,719.

The willower openings which ordinarilypermit the dirt, seed, etc., mixedin the fibre to drop out, are blocked by means of a plate or plates. Thewillower mixes the fibres to a substantial extent, but in order toachieve thorough blending and covering of. the kapok fibres with thecotton fibres, I pass the mixed fibres through a garnett which, in theprocesses of parallelizing the fibres, has the property of covering theWeak kapok fibres with the stronger cotton fibres, the latter bearingthe brunt of the strain. imposed by the garnetting. I found that if thespeed of the garnetting machine be slightly increased above its normalspeed, it is possible to use somewhat less cotton in the compound.However, I prefer that sub stantially equal proportions, by weight, ofkapok and cotton fibres be used. The garnett, in addition toparallelizing the fibres, imparts at the same time a slight twist tothem. The fibres are discharged from the machine in a thin web, sectionsof the web being mechanically superposed one upon the other, i. e. layerupon layer, adhesion be tween the layers being effected by slightpressure. p

The bat or felt produced has a resiliency and longevity of cotton feltswith the springy characteristic of kapok. Articles manufactured of thisfelt, such as mattresses, will be lighter in Weight than if produced ofcotton felt alone and will possess a resiliency greater than possessedeither by kapok or cotton felt alone. It will be sanitary and verminresisting, and less absorptive than cotton felt. It will not pack intohard sections in the mattresses as will cotton felt, nor will it crumbleor disintegrate as will kapok. I

Having described my invention What I. claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is as follows, it being understood that certain of thesemodifications may be made in the specific disclosure herein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the claims, for example in the use of theword garnett? I include any device of the general kind having the effectof parallelizing the fibres:

1. A bat consisting of successive superposed thin layers, each layerconsisting of cotton and kapok fibre blended and the fibresparallelized, the kapok being at least 4:070 of the Whole, substantiallyas described.

2. A bat comprising superposed. thin layers, each layer consisting ofapproximately 40% kapok fibre and 60% cotton fibre, the

two being mixed and parallelized in such manner that individual kapokfibres are substantially covered by cotton fibres. 10

In testimony whereof, I have signed any name to this specification.

LEO MANN.

